This little book was originally part of The Nutshell Library, a set of four adorable miniature books written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. “Pierre” was my favorite of the group by far, and I remember reading it aloud often to my younger brothers and sister.

I was reminded of Pierre this week while reading Kathleen Norris’s Acedia & Me. She explains that “acedia” is a Greek word meaning “a non-caring state.” She cites the little boy Pierre as a textbook case of acedia, since the only thing he ever said was “I don’t care.”

But Pierre does eventually learn how to care. Kathleen Norris tells the stories of her own journey towards learning the importance of caring as well. I can identify with both of them.

I’ve written about it here on 43 Things.

My book group watched a very interesting presentation by the 3 authors about their experiences of writing this book together. It was presented at the National Cathedral, and is available through this link.

EDIT: Oops, my link was incorrect. Now it seems to be working.

A friend loaned me the DVD, and I have to return it tonight. I had not read the book, even though many friends had recommended it very highly. I thought the movie was touching and well-done. I enjoyed it through my tears.

My book group just finished consuming this book together. Both a fellow group member and I had heard the three authors interviewed on the radio, and we recommended the book to our group.

The book is really a story of how these three women of different faith traditions meet together, honestly share their different beliefs, and become good friends, enriched by the experience.

I think our book group has been meeting together for 5 years now. We’re all members of the same faith tradition, but we still have our differences. Our experience as a group in many ways mirrors the experience of the three authors. Over time, we’ve become good friends, too.

This book is available in my public library. It was originally presented by the author as a set of Lenten sermons. I wanted to make an entry here to remind myself of this book next year at Lent.

This book used to be in our church library. I read it a couple years ago, because we were reading another book by the same author in my book group at that time. I liked this book, and talked about it in one of our meetings, and a friend checked it out. Then she had major surgery, a tough recovery, and a move to a new house. The book got lost somewhere along the way.

The author, an Anglican bishop and biblical scholar, writes about finding prayer puzzling and mysterious, and I’ve quoted this passage several times in different contexts. I find prayer puzzling and mysterious too.

I wanted to love this movie. A friend of mine, a very happy, outgoing, bubbly sort of person, really really LOVED this movie, and talks about it often.

And I think that most musicals require a certain suspension of disbelief. It’s not too common among people I know to break out in song and dance every few hours. And there are many musicals that I really do love, although I first saw the majority of them when I was much younger.

I remember one of my good college friends LOVEDSinging in the Rain, her #1 favorite movie of all time, and I had never seen it. The first time I saw it, I thought it was pretty silly, but it’s grown on me since then.

Another problem was that I was tired yesterday. I made it all the way through the movie without falling asleep, so maybe that’s somewhat of a recommendation. However, I certainly can’t say I loved it.

Maybe I’ll give it another chance sometime when I’m well rested.

This is a good book for people who are serious about their 43 Things. The book has a lot of short chapters with tips on how to make changes in your life. One chapter, called “Believe I Can Do It” (p. 60), brought tears to my eyes. Deep down I just don’t really believe I can do it.

According to that chapter, the tip for believing I can do it is, instead of getting mired in my past mistakes and present situations, to create a “growth story” which includes
(1) An accurate description of the past, including what has and has not worked.
(2) The facts of the present, including “What am I learning?”
(3) A description of what I will become in the future having achieved my goals.

I guess a growth story is what I’m trying to create right now under a new goal on 43 Things.

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 makes me think of that wascally wabbit Bugs Bunny. :)